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IFAW Rescues Animals from Floods in India

Friday, 26 August, 2005

Yarmouth Port, MA

IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare –www.ifaw.org) announced today results of a
large-scale emergency relief operation to save hundreds of animals in Western
India’s flood ravaged states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

“Massive flooding in the city of Mumbai and areas in Gujarat and Maharashtra
has already killed thousands of animals,” said Anand Ramanathan, IFAW Emergency
Relief operations manager. “In response, IFAW and the Wildlife Trust of India
(WTI) have mobilized Emergency Relief team members to rescue as many animals we
can.”

Northeast India is known for annual flooding but this year
unexpected floods in Western India left many unprepared. In Mumbai, more than
2,500 buffaloes and 14,000 sheep and goats were killed when the enclosed pens
flooded with 14 feet of water. Hundreds of farm animals, including 800 pigs from
a local pig farm, were washed away in heavy flooding.

In Gujarat,
IFAW’s Emergency Relief (ER) team is working with local wildlife rehabbers has
already rescued more than 200 snakes and endangered sea turtles displaced by the
floods.

In Maharashtra, IFAW’s ER team is working with local vets
and has treated hundreds of dogs, cats, cows, buffaloes and goats affected by
the flooding – including the vaccination of hundreds of animals to prevent the
spread of disease. The IFAW ER team is also distributing food and medicine to
poor villagers who are unable to take care of cattle and livestock. Rescue teams
are reaching out to assess and assist animals in other villages as they become
more accessible while the flooding recedes. Relief efforts are expected to
continue for another week.